Saint Juan Diego, original name Cuauhtlatoatzin (born 1474, Cuautitlán [near Mexico City], Mexico—died May 30, 1548, Tepeyac Hill [Mexico City]; canonized July 31, 2002; feast day December 9) indigenous Mexican convert to Roman Catholicism and saint who, according to tradition, was visited by the Virgin Mary (Our Lady of Guadalupe).

Little is known of the early life of Juan Diego, whose original name was Cuauhtlatoatzin (“the Talking Eagle”). Although he described himself as poor, he may have meant poor in spirit; it has been suggested that he was an Aztec prince. He was married but had no children. When he was 50 years old, he and his wife were among the first indigenous people to accept baptism and convert to Christianity after its introduction to Mexico by Spanish conquistadors and missionaries.

According to tradition, Juan Diego experienced his first vision of the Virgin Mary on December 9, 1531. While on his way to mass, he was visited by Mary, who was surrounded in heavenly light, on Tepeyac Hill on the outskirts of what is now Mexico City. She spoke to him in his native language and asked him to tell the bishop to build a shrine to her on the hill. The bishop did not believe Juan Diego’s story and asked for proof that Mary had appeared to him. On December 12, while searching for a priest to administer last rites to his uncle, Juan Diego was visited by Mary again. He told her of the bishop’s answer, and she instructed him to gather roses and bring them to the bishop as a sign. She also informed Juan Diego that his uncle would recover from his illness. Juan Diego found many roses on the hill, even though it was winter. When he opened his tilma (cloak) while appearing before the bishop, dozens of roses fell out, and an image of Mary, imprinted on the inside of his cloak, became visible. Having received his proof, the bishop ordered that a church be built on Tepeyac Hill in honour of the Virgin. Juan Diego returned home and found his uncle’s health restored.

For the rest of his life Juan Diego lived in a hut next to the church built in honour of Mary and took care of the pilgrims who came to the shrine. He was buried in the church, and his tilma can still be seen in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. His existence, which had been questioned by Catholics and non-Catholics alike, was confirmed by the Vatican, and Juan Diego was beatified on May 6, 1990, and canonized on July 31, 2002, by Pope John Paul II. Numerous miracles have been attributed to him, and he remains one of the most popular and important saints in Mexico.

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in Roman Catholicism, the Virgin Mary in her appearance before Juan Diego in a vision in 1531. The name also refers to the Marian apparition itself. Our Lady of Guadalupe holds a special place in the religious life of Mexico and is one of the most popular religious devotions. Her image has played an important role as a national symbol of Mexico.

...in Villa de Guadalupe Hidalgo, a northern neighbourhood of Mexico City. The church was erected near the spot where two apparitions of the Virgin are said to have appeared to an Indian convert named Juan Diego in December 1531 and commanded that a church be built. The second apparition resulted in a painted image that became known as the Virgin of Guadalupe, and the entire incident did much to...

May 18, 1920 Wadowice, Poland April 2, 2005 Vatican City; beatified May 1, 2011; canonized April 27, 2014; feast day October 22 the bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church (1978–2005), the first non-Italian pope in 455 years and the first from a Slavic country. His pontificate...